Next Wednesday, 29 April, is the tenth anniversary of Stop Food Waste Day. The staff at the Compass Group USA explains, “Founded in 2017 by Compass Group USA, Stop Food Waste Day is now a globally recognized movement uniting people around the world to take action on food waste. For a decade, Compass Group has led the fight against food waste by turning awareness into action and everyday choices into measurable impact. Stop Food Waste Day educates and inspires practical behavior change. … Food waste is not only a moral issue — it is a major contributor to climate change. Wasting food also wastes the energy and resources used to grow, transport, and prepare it, while food sent to landfill generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas.”[1]

How Big is the Problem?

According to the Compass Group USA staff, “The scale of the food waste problem is staggering: 33% of all food produced is wasted every year. That translates to $1.2 trillion worth of food annually. … Almost 50% of all fruits and vegetables produced are wasted every year globally.”[2] Over a decade ago, world leaders agreed to 17 global goals. One of those goals was, by 2030, halving per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reducing food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.[3] Instead of seeing progress towards that goal, the world has witnessed the problem getting worse.

Food journalist Ben Cornwell reports, “Global food waste is continuing to erode retail margins worldwide, with losses across the food supply chain forecast to reach $540 billion by 2026, according to new research published by Avery Dennison. … Independent economic modelling cited in the report shows the cost of food waste across the global supply chain rising from $526 billion last year to $540 billion by 2026. If current trends continue, cumulative losses between 2025 and 2030 are expected to reach $3.4 trillion, aligning with the 2030 deadline for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 to halve global food waste. Despite this goal, the report uncovered that over a quarter (27 percent) of leaders said that they would not meet the 2030 deadline.”[4] He adds, “Perishable categories remain the most problematic, with half of respondents identifying meat as one of the three most difficult categories for waste, followed by produce at 45 percent and baked goods at 28 percent.”

Addressing the Problems

As the global population continues to grow, so will the challenges associated with feeding more people. Reducing food waste will help meet some of those challenges. As Compass Group USA staff noted, the two major challenges with food waste are that it removes edible products from the food supply chain and it contributes to climate change. Julie Vargas, a Vice President and General Manager at Avery Dennison, observes, “Food waste has become an accepted cost of doing business, but it doesn’t have to be. Innovation exists today to help overcome the complexity of food waste by unlocking new possibilities and transforming a historic operating cost into measurable value across the global retail supply chain. The retail ecosystem is changing, but not enough retailers are changing with it.”[5] She identified lack of supply chain visibility as a big contributor to the problem. She explains, “The biggest challenge is what we can’t see. From transit to shelf, blind spots are silently eroding margins. With the right innovation, we can turn this loss into measurable value and shift the conversation on food waste from being purely seen as a sustainability issue into a business-critical one. This is about unlocking efficiency and growth across the entire supply chain.”

Addressing Food Waste in the Supply Chain

If the right data is available, artificial intelligence (AI) can play a role in helping to reduce food waste. Entrepreneur Mohammed F. Alzuhair explains that doesn’t always happen. He writes, “Today, food moves through supply chains because it is recognized by databases, platforms and automated approval systems. If a digital system cannot confirm a shipment, the food cannot be released, insured, sold, or legally distributed. In practical terms, food that cannot be ‘seen’ digitally becomes unusable. … AI and data-driven systems now shape decisions across agriculture and food delivery. … When decisions about food allocation cannot be explained or reviewed, authority shifts away from human judgment and into software rules. Put simply, businesses are choosing automation over humans to save time and cut costs. As a result, decisions about food movement and access are increasingly made by systems that people cannot easily question or override.”[6] As result, he concludes, food is being wasted.

However, when the right data is available, AI can provide huge benefits. Journalist Donna Eastlake reports, “Nestlé has unveiled a first-of-its-kind AI system that can not only visualize food waste across its factories but actively reduce it — making a major leap forward for the food and beverage giant.”[7] She adds, “The technology has the potential to be rolled out across all areas of the business, including major revenue drivers like confectionary and coffee. And early trials are already proving what the technology can deliver.”

Taking advantage of emerging technologies will be essential to help reduce waste in the food supply chain. Kishore Kanna N, Vice President at Ramco Systems, explains, “In a system where so much value disappears silently, understanding what happens along the journey is only the starting point. The industry needs the ability to see what will happen next. This is where predictive visibility is changing the game. By combining real-time monitoring with forward-looking analytics across goods, fleet, warehouse capacity, and demand, logistics teams can intervene before waste happens.”[8]

Addressing Environment Impacts of Food Waste

Researchers around the world are exploring ways to use food waste and byproducts so that waste doesn’t end up in landfills. For example, researchers from Cornell University are looking for new uses for apple pomace — the solid residues of an apple after it is processed, namely its skin, pulp, seeds, and stalk. Journalist Juliette Portala reports, “Apple pomace … generates over 4 million tons of global waste every year.”[9] Cornell scientists have discovered a method of turning that waste into a useable food product by freeze-drying then milling it into a fine powder. The powder can be mixed into to other foods to provide a great source of fiber and bioactives. In Copenhagen, Denmark, a firm called Spora, is experimenting with ways to upcycle waste products into something that's delicious. Spora is not alone, journalist Charlotte Lytton reports, “At start-ups across Europe, the US, and Asia, used food products are currently being given a second life in the form of bread, pasta and supplements made from the 40 million tons of spent grain typically discarded from beer production; coffee grounds (of which 54 million tons are thrown out each year) are being re-spun into gin, flour, and energy bars.”[10]

Of course, as a consumer, you don’t need fancy technology or exotic research to do your part in reducing food waste. The United Nations Environment Program suggests seven things you can do to help reduce food waste.[11] They are:

• Shop mindfully. “Roughly 60 per cent of all food waste comes from households — more than 1 billion meals being wasted every day. Often, this starts with the choices we make with our wallets — buying food we never get the chance to eat or getting lured into impulse purchases by marketing strategies and sales. Plan your meals before heading to the store, and stick to your shopping list — that way you’re more likely to buy only the food you know you’ll use.”

• Cook smart. “Cooking more than you can eat can lead to food waste, as many leftovers eventually get thrown away. Unless you’re batch cooking, measure portion sizes of rice and other staples as you cook to ensure you prepare only as much as you — or the group you’re cooking for — are likely eat in a single sitting.” To help reduce food waste while cooking, Compass Group USA staff offers a free cookbook that features recipes from over 50 Compass chefs across over 30 countries. The cookbook makes it easy to create meals which give a second life to ingredients that most commonly go to waste.

• Store wisely. “Understanding the storage requirements of different types of food is essential to minimizing food spoilage and waste. Store dry foods in airtight containers, fresh meats in the freezer or chill compartment of the fridge, and onions and potatoes in a cool, dark place. Keep fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge’s vegetables drawer, and make sure any previously opened packaging is tightly sealed.”

• Learn what “best before” labels mean — and what they don't. “Studies have found that many people assume food should be discarded after the ‘best before’ date printed on the packaging. In the EU, 10 per cent of annual food waste is due to expiration dates, and in the U.S., 84 per cent of consumers throw away some food simply because of the date on the label. But unlike a ‘use by’ date — after which food is no longer safe to eat — ‘best before’ simply indicates the date by which the manufacturer can no longer guarantee the product’s optimum quality, taste or texture.”

• Prize the imperfection. “Almost half of all fruits and vegetables are wasted. In part, this is due to consumer preferences for produce that looks ‘perfect’ or ‘normal’; nearly one-third of all produce is rejected between the farm and the supermarket shelf because of its appearance. Keep in mind when seeing a crooked carrot or blemished apple that it’s still perfectly fit for consumption.”

• Sharing is caring. “Sometimes life gets in the way, and we just can’t eat everything we buy or cook. But maybe your friends or neighbors can. Reach out to share your food.”

• Compost the rest. “Some waste is unavoidable, like eggshells, watermelon rinds and onion skins. ... Composting this waste returns vital nutrients to the earth, improves soil structure and sequesters carbon. If you have a garden of your own, your plants will thank you for it.”

Concluding Thoughts

The SupplyChainBrain staff reports that consumers are becoming more concerned with food waste and want the grocery stores at which they shop to do more in this area. They write, “Despite a growing demand from shoppers to cut down on food waste, just 14% say that they fully trust claims of sustainable products and packaging from grocery stores. According to a survey of more than 2,100 U.S. and U.K. shoppers from retailer platform RELEX Solutions, 74% of consumers say that they would switch from their current supermarket to one that publicly commits to and actively reports on food waste reduction. Another 78% want stronger regulations to hold brands accountable for food waste, while one in every three ‘actively distrusts’ claims of sustainability from stores.”[12] Stop Food Waste Day is a good time for all stakeholders to examine how they can help reduce food waste.

Footnotes

[1] Compass Group USA Staff, “Who we are,” Stop Food Waste Day website.

[2] Compass Group USA Staff, “Why stop food waste?” Stop Food Waste Day website.

[3] Staff, “The 17 Goals,” The Global Goals.

[4] Ben Cornwell, “Global food waste costs surge as annual supply chain losses near $540 billion,” New Food, 6 January 2026.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Mohammed F. Alzuhair, “Replacing humans with machines is leaving truckloads of food stranded and unusable,” The Conversation, 10 February 2026.

[7] Donna Eastlake, “Nestlé trials AI technology to tackle factory food waste,” Food Navigator Europe, 25 March 2026.

[8] Kishore Kanna N, “How Predictive Visibility Redefines Food Logistics,” Food Logistics, 9 January 2026.

[9] Juliette Portala, “Researchers discover incredible new use for common food waste: 'It's a win-win-win’,” Yahoo News, 12 October 2025.

[10] Charlotte Lytton, “The waste food upcycled into new products,” BBC, 17 August 2024.

[11] Staff, “Seven ways to cut your food waste and support the planet,” United Nations Environment Program, 27 March 2026.

[12] Staff, “Report: Shoppers Demand Action, Not Promises, When it Comes to Food Waste,” SupplyChainBrain, 14 May 2025.